Report Identifies Policy Ties to Petroleum

Researcher Juan Matute finds 15 state and local policies that have unintentionally driven demand for oil use

California policies that have seemingly little to no connection to petroleum use actually provide incentives that drive demand for oil use artificially high in the state. Fifteen such policies are identified in a new report, Unraveling Ties to Petroleum: How policy drives California's demand for oil, released today by the nonpartisan, nonprofit group Next 10 and authored by UCLA Luskin researcher Juan Matute.

Bundling of residential parking in high-quality transit areas – Cities often fail to recognize differences in household vehicle demand when setting parking policy in residential areas. Changes in parking policy in residential areas could eliminate hidden penalties for residents who have fewer cars because they use public transit, making transit-oriented developments more effective at reducing traffic.

Prioritizing automobiles over other modes of transportation in congested areas – When planning, most California transportation departments continue to use performance metrics that ignore modes of transportation other than the automobile. As a result, many projects simply expand the auto-based transportation network and ignore people who use alternatives, like public transit, walking, and biking.

Auto insurance rates – State law already allows insurers to assess automobile premiums on a variable, per-mile basis rather than a fixed annual cost. Transitioning consumers to pay-as-you-drive policies could reduce statewide petroleum use by as much as eight percent, while saving most Californians money.

Rideshare barriers – Sharing a ride may sound like a simple solution, but there are many obstacles to widespread rideshare use. Approximately 69 percent of passenger vehicle seat-miles currently go unfilled. Filling just 10 percent of the excess capacity of private vehicles now operating in California could lead to an 18 percent reduction in motor vehicle fuel use.

Carshare barriers – Carshare saves money and the hassles associated with car-ownership. State lawmakers have the opportunity to examine barriers to carshare businesses.

Infrastructure and cost barriers to alternative fuel vehicle adoption – New federal, state, and local policies encourage the commercialization of e-vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles. Strengthening these policies would greatly impact our oil use.

Policies that govern how parking spaces are created and subsidized, how road space is allocated, how local governments fund infrastructure needed for infill development, and how automobile insurers charge premiums were found to be the most impactful in terms of driving petroleum demand in California. By addressing the top five policies listed above, California could reduce future petroleum use by at least 25 percent.

“Although these disincentives to cut our oil use have a powerful impact on our consumption, there are state and federal incentives that are already encouraging some of the recommended changes we highlight,” said Matute, who directs the UCLA Local Climate Initiative. “The state is now developing new incentives for rideshare and there are also policies driving the proliferation of alternative fuel vehicles.”

The report also investigates the following eight other policy areas, found to have a range of potential impacts on oil use:

Funding of public infrastructure improvements for new development – Current financing mechanisms favor sprawl rather than urban infill and development of brownfields, creating and/or adding to long commutes.

Lack of awareness and enforcement around parking cash-out programs – California law has authorized parking cash-out programs, which provide commuters a payment in lieu of subsidized parking for nearly two decades. However, monitoring and enforcement have been spotty.

High-occupancy vehicle lanes – The state generally adds new HOV lanes via new construction, rather than converting existing lanes. However, construction causes additional congestion and delays implementation of HOV networks.

Barriers to improving express bus service – Allowing transit buses to use highway shoulders would lead to immediate efficiency benefits for express buses. This could prompt more reliable travel times and increased ridership.

Aviation practices and procedures – Current air traffic regulations and procedures require that airplanes descend and level off in increments. A continuous descent reduces fuel consumption.

Deductibility of home mortgage interest and state and local property taxes from taxable income – The home mortgage deduction may contribute to larger lot size, larger houses and sprawl, thus contributing to more driving and longer commutes. 14. Location of state enterprise zones – When established far from city centers, these zones encourage longer employee commutes.

Barriers to entry for informal transit service – California law requires informal transit operators to be licensed, creating a barrier to entry for informal and less-expensive services, like unregistered taxis and vans.

“Some of the measures highlighted, such as allowing buses to use highway shoulders, could be implemented without significant fiscal requirements, commitments or trade-offs,” said report principal investigator Stephanie Pincetl, an adjunct professor and director of the California Center for Sustainable Communities at UCLA. “Implementing these particular policies would be a win economically and environmentally.”

Connect with us! The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs is on Facebook and Twitter and it’s the best and easiest way to find out what’s happening – and what’s trending – at all times. Plus, it’s the best way to find out how to receive cool Luskin gear and the latest news and info. Like us on Facebook andfollow us on Twitter.